Stop calling evolutionists deceived - 07/03/2004
Dear Contender Ministries,
Congratulations on a well designed and highly informative website! I pray God will bless you as you reach out to people in all walks of life with the
message of the gospel of Jesus. One suggestion ...please desist from characterizing those who accept the theory of evolution as sound as
unbelievers or deceived. The long list of questions for the evolutionist you posted can in many cases be satisfactorily answered, and some can not
be. This, however, does not in any way prove the theory wrong. It is simply characteristic of any scientific theory, that is, that it is always a work in
progress, never fully provable, though generally accepted as sound. The truth or falsity of the theory in no way proves or disproves God's exisitence,
any more than any other scientific theory. The bottom line is how one finally decides to explain existence itself and the meaning of it. I, like many
other Christians, find no incompatability between traditional, orthodox Christian belief and the possiblity of evolution. The evidence for a billions of
years old earth, the geological column, the succession of life forms over time, is iron-clad and is not seriously questioned in professional and academic
cirlces. I believe it would be for more profitable for the body of Christ to spend energy on discovering and relating how amazingly harmonious science and Scripture are.
I have found it amazing how the creation account in Genesis and the order of the appearance of life in the geologic column match up so wonderfully. Those who
waste precious time and energy railing against the theory need to see it for the potential gold mine it really is! Having said all this, I understand there are other
interpretive possibilities such as progressive creation that reject the concept of descent with modification in favor of extinction/creation periods over billions of years.
Is it possible that it all happened in six, twenty-four hour periods a few thousand years ago? Of course, but not very probable. The Genesis account and other Biblical references to it can accomodate different theories without in any way doing harm to the truth, power and integrity of the Bible as God's word to man. There are of course reasonable limits to this flexibility and we must be wary of attempts to twist things to justify pet theories & questionable motives. I hope you have found my letter helpful.
It is sent with the best of intentions in the hope that it can be useful to you in growing in the Lord and being an even more effective witness for his grace and truth.
In Him,
S. Green
CONTENDER MINISTRIES RESPONSE:
Hi Steve. Thanks for writing to Contender Ministries. I'm sorry it's taken
so long to write back. I won't desist from characterizing believers in
evolution as being deceived. You said, "The
long list of questions for the evolutionist you posted can in many cases be
satisfactorily answered..." Can you answer them? You are right when you
said science cannot prove nor disprove the existance of God. However,
evolutionists are not willing to follow the evidence to its most logical
conclusion. They disregard at the outset the possibility of a supernatural
creator, and discard evidence that points toward one. They have created a
religion of questionable science. You said, "The evidence for a billions of
years old earth, the geological column, the succession of life forms over
time, is iron-clad and is not seriously questioned in professional and
academic cirlces." I encourage you to read The Case For A Creator,
by Lee Strobel. You'll find a long list of professional scientists
(including Nobel laureates) that have concluded that evolution is flawed,
and we are the product of a Creator. Most of these people bought into
evolution, and were ardent evolutionists upon earning their post-graduate
degrees. However, after spending time studying origins, they have reached
the conclusion that Darwinism is wrong, and we are created beings. The
fossil record doesn't support evolution, so why should I? Regarding
creation, you said, "Is it possible that it all happened in six, twenty-four
hour periods a few thousand years ago? Of course, but not very probable." I
would agree, if I rejected the idea of an omnipotent God. The God of the
Bible is not a weak God, and is not bound by the natural laws He created.
What IS improbable, is the idea of life spontaneously generating from
non-life. The irreducible complexities found in molecular biology are a
testimony to the improbability of descent with modification. If you want to
discuss "pet theories & questionable motives", I suggest you look at
Charles Darwin and his army of disciples who reject scientific evidence that
casts doubt on their pet theory.
While your intentions are good,
you have been deceived by a poorly supported theory. We will not back down
for fighting for the truth of the Bible. (Other recommended reading:
Darwin's Black Box, by Michael J. Behe; Darwin on Trial, by
Phillip E. Johnson; Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, by Michael Denton;
and Icons of Evolution: Science or Myth? Why Much of What We Teach About
Evolution is Wrong, by Jonathan Wells, Jody F. Sjogren.)
In Christ,
Ben and Jennifer Rast
Contender Ministries
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